LAUSR

Abstract In this paper, a novel water-soluble polysaccharide (HEPW1) was extracted from Hericium erinaceus, physicochemical characterization showed that HEPW1 with a relative molecular weight of 5.163 kDa was composed of fucose (6.13%), glucose (72.28%) and galactose (21.59%). A H2O2-induced cellular injury model for human gastric epithelium (GES-1) cells was established and used to investigate the protective effects of HEPW1 against this oxidative stress. It was found that HEPW1 could significantly protect GES-1 cells from H2O2-induced oxidative stress by enhancing the antioxidant capacity of intracellular substances of the treated cells and regulating intracellular antioxidant enzyme system, inhibiting H2O2-induced apoptosis, blocking cell cycle, reducing ROS, attenuating DNA damage and preserving cell membranes. This research is useful for the prevention or treatment of oxidation-related diseases and is also beneficial for the development of healthy foods containing fungal polysaccharides.